Have y’all heard about the two astronauts currently stuck in space with no timeline for coming home? Well, buckle up and let’s dive into the news. Last month, Boeing Starliner launched its first crew, including veteran NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams, to the International Space Station (ISS). Initially, the plan was to keep the crew in space for only eight days. But that short mission has now lasted over 50 days, and there is no expected return date.
So, what’s causing the delay? According to The Washington Post, the issue stems from the spacecraft’s thrusters shutting off abruptly and small, persistent helium leaks in its propulsion system. Since discovering the problem, NASA and Boeing have consistently run tests to figure out what caused the issue and to get the two astronauts back to Earth safely.
Last week, NASA officials held a briefing and announced that they still did not have an anticipated return date but are aiming for sometime in August. However, officials say the spacecraft may still be in good shape to transport the astronauts home, pending a thorough review by NASA and Boeing leadership. Interestingly, officials mentioned that the astronauts are not stranded and could fly home anytime in case of an emergency. They added that SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, which has been active since 2020, could also be used as a backup if necessary.
Meanwhile, the astronauts are having the time of their lives up there. Despite their trip being extended, Wilmore and Williams say they’re enjoying their stay in space, maintaining contact with friends and family, and believe that the Starliner will get them home safely.
“We’ve been thoroughly busy up here, integrated right into the crew,” Williams said. “It feels like coming back home. It feels good to float around. It feels good to be in space and work up here with the International Space Station team. So yeah, it’s great to be up here.”
Since landing at the station, the astronauts have scanned their veins using an ultrasound machine to gather data on how space affects the human body. In addition, Williams and Wilmore have established routine chores, such as maintenance tasks, inventory duty, and switching out the urine processing pump.
Nevertheless, the astronauts say they’re well-prepared for the mission, as the two are veteran astronauts with over 500 days spent in space combined. Prior to lift-off, Williams mentioned that since the Starliner was new, she knew there would be issues that would force them to improvise.
“We do anticipate everything’s going to go as planned,” she said. “But if it doesn’t, we’ll take a moment and analyze it and talk about it, and we’ll be okay. So our confidence in the mission is high. I’m not complaining that we’re here for a couple extra weeks.”
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were supposed to be on the International Space Station for just eight days — but now, they are marking their 50th day in space, as engineers troubleshoot issues on the Boeing Starliner spacecraft that brought them there. pic.twitter.com/Yl7fbAf62N
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) July 26, 2024
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